


Fire and Rain

by ignipes



Category: Harry Potter - Rowling
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2006-04-15
Updated: 2006-04-15
Packaged: 2017-10-02 22:21:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 807
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11310
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ignipes/pseuds/ignipes
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Magic on the lake one cold, rainy morning.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Fire and Rain

Remus stood on the shore of the lake, shivering.

"This is the stupidest idea you've ever had," he said, hugging his arms around himself. Rainwater trickled down his neck, and his trainers squelched when he kicked the ground. "Stupider even than that incident with the kettles and the goldfish."

Sirius bent down to roll his trousers up another fold. "No, it's brilliant," he replied absently. "You'll see." He straightened up, brushed his hair back from his face, and took another step into the lake.

"See what? I don't see anything except--"

Sirius held up his hand impatiently. "Quiet." He whispered a few words under his breath and lowered his wand to the water, holding it just above the surface. "It only works in the spring when it's raining," he explained, "because of the contrast of water temperature and..." He glanced back at Remus, who raised an eyebrow. Sirius shrugged. "Just watch, okay?"

He touched the wand to the water; a ring of faint waves rippled outward. Remus heard Sirius mutter another few words, then Sirius lifted his wand and gazed over the lake.

Remus saw nothing. He shifted his weight from foot to foot, clenched his jaw to keep his teeth from chattering. Cold rain fell in sheets across the lake, and he saw nothing except the grey water and the murky outline of the opposite shore. He watched Sirius, saw the expectant tension in his shoulders and hopeful lift of his chin, and then look down at the water again.

There was still nothing. Except--

_Well, that's odd_. The water was still rippling from where Sirius had touched it with his wand.

"_There._" Sirius' whisper was barely audible over the sound of the rain pattering on the lake.

Remus opened his mouth to ask, then stopped. _Oh. There._

The lake began to glow.

It was subtle at first. Grey melted into yellow just beneath the surface, spreading outward with the fading ripples. It deepened and darkened as it spread, shifting to orange and red and pink, the colours layering themselves from a fine sheen of gold at the surface to deep crimson so far below it was almost lost in the shadows.

Sirius looked back at Remus. "Brilliant, eh?"

Remus laughed and splashed a few steps into the lake. The water was surprisingly warm, a sharp contrast with the icy rain. "How did you--"

Sirius winked. "Magic." He held out his hand toward Remus, cupping it to catch the raindrops. "C'mere. What do you think?"

"I think you've been paying attention in Charms again, Sirius," Remus said sternly. "I always suspected that about you." But he went forward, glancing down to see the colours swirl together as he moved his feet.

"You're impressed," Sirius said. "I can tell."

"I am no such thing." Remus reached out and took Sirius' hand, lightly holding his fingers, still an arm's length away. In the distance, a dark shadow moved through the layers of red and orange; the giant squid had come up to investigate. "I am merely easily entranced by bright lights and colours."

"Well, that too," Sirius agreed, nodding. "It's one of the things I like best about you."

"That's why you pulled me out of my nice, warm bed--"

"Warm? You'd kicked all your covers to the floor like you always--"

"--out of my nice, warm bed," Remus repeated, talking over Sirius, "before dawn, earlier than I've been awake in _months_, and dragged me down to the lake in the rain?"

"Of course." Sirius' expression wasn't even a little bit apologetic; Remus struggled not to smile. "Knew you'd like it."

"How very thoughtful. And all the other blokes just settle for flowers and chocolates."

Sirius waved his free hand. "Lack of imagination. This is better. Even though," he paused, frowning, "it won't last long. I couldn't figure out how to make it last." He was quiet for a moment. "Still, it's better."

"Maybe."

The glow had spread through most of the lake, lighting the trees on the shores and the raindrops just above the surface. Tendrils of steam rose around them, and Remus felt warmth seeping into his body, from the water around his legs to the touch of warm grip of Sirius' hand.

"Just maybe?"

"Maybe." Remus stepped toward Sirius, sliding his hand up to catch Sirius' wrist. "I can think of a few ways to improve the morning."

"You're always thinking. Some people might call that a flaw."

Remus imitated Sirius' careless wave. "Some people lack imagination."

"And what is your imagination imagining this morning, Mr. Moony?"

Remus looked at Sirius for a long moment, at his dark hair, the rainwater streaming down his face. The fiery light shone on Sirius' damp skin, made his grin seem almost diabolical.

"I'll tell you in a minute," he said, pulling Sirius closer, "when it begins to fade."


End file.
